A revolutionary general and provincial governor, Trias was
born in San Francisco de Malabon, a town of Cavite now renamed after
him. He was the fourth or fifth among eight or nine children of Balbino
Trias and Gabriela Closas. His father was a cabeza de barangay who
became justice of the peace during the Spanish regime.

Mariano Trias had primary schooling under the tutorship of
local school teachers Eusebio Chaves and Cipriano Gonzales. Later, he
was sent to Manila, went to a school conducted by Jose Flores, and
transferred to San Juan de Letran where he must have obtained his A.B.
Degree. Thereafter, he pursued a medical course in the University of
Santo Tomas, but was unable to pursue further studies due to the
outbreak of the Revolution in August 1896.

Trias actively propagated the ideals of the Katipunan in the
towns of Silang and Kawit, where members were initiated. When the
Katipunan popular council of San Francisco de Malabon organized the
Sangguniang Balangay of Mapagtiis, he was elected as fiscal.

The greater part of Cavite fell into the hands of Katipunan
revolutionists and gave rise to two provincial councils: Sangguniang
Bayang Magdiwang and the Sangguniang Bayang Magdalo. Trias became the
Minister of Justice and Grace in the first group.

In the Assembly at Tejeros in March 1897, he was elected
vice-president, with Emilio Aguinaldo as president. He led several
attacks in Cavite and Laguna against Spanish forces. The revolutionary
government was reorganized in Biyak-na-bato in November 1897. Again, he
was chosen vice-president with Aguinaldo as president.

Trias continued to take an active part in the second stage of
the Revolution. He, with the cooperation of Artemio Ricarte, drove away
the Spanish force in the former's hometown. Upon the establishment of
the Revolutionary Government, he was appointed on July 15, 1898 as
Secretary of Finance in Aguinaldo's cabinet. He continued in this
office even after the transfer of the seat of the government in Malolos
and until the formation of the Mabini cabinet the following year. In
the succeeding Paterno cabinet, he served as Secretary of War. After
the dispersal of the Revolutionary Government forces in Central Luzon,
he was named commanding general of Southern Luzon.

He then directed guerrilla offensives but peacefully
surrendered on March 15, 1901.

In June 1901 he was appointed provincial governor of Cavite
after the civil organization of the province on June 11, 1901, in
accordance with Act No. 138. Thus, he became the first Filipino
governor of the province. He pacified the province and cleared it of
brigand bands who overran it. Being a member of the honorary board of
Filipino commissioners to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, he sailed
for the USA in 1904.

He was married to Maria Concepcion Ferrer, by whom he had
eight children.

Trias died of appendectomy at the Philippine General Hospital
on January 22, 1914. In 1923, his remains were transferred from Manila
to his hometown.